Cars will be 25% plastic by 2020 – Bayer MaterialScience

17 October 2012 15:40[Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS)--The proportion of plastic used in cars is set to increase to up to a quarter in the next eight years as a result of the need for more fuel-efficient vehicles and increasing sales in emerging markets, German specialty chemicals company Bayer MaterialScience said on Wednesday.

Echoing a pronouncement by BASF made earlier this month, the company claimed that cars could be 25% plastic by 2020, compared to 15% today.

“The proportion of plastics in automotive applications should increase from 15% today to as much as 25% by 2020,” said Hans-Peter Neuwald, head of the company’s transportation team.

“It is not just the weight reduction driving this. It is much more the emerging economies playing catch-up in terms of quality, safety and comfort,” he added.

The push towards lighter cars is to be bolstered by the development of electric cars, which require lighter frames to increase the distance they can travel between charge cycles, according to the company.

BASF predicted on 11 October this year that the proportion of the modern car that is constructed from plastics to rise to 25% from the current 15% within the next few years.

Bayer’s definition of automotive includes light vehicles up to 6.5 tonnes curb weight, a company spokesperson said.